In my earlier U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,471, I disclose and claim a steering mechanism for slaving the steering movement imparted to an outdrive motor to an auxiliary outboard; both of which are associated in operative engagement with the transom of a boat. As set forth in greater detail in that patent, the use of a small auxiliary outboard motor on a boat equipped with a more powerful main propulsion unit has become rather commonplace; for example, to operate the auxiliary unit at low speed for trolling for fish. While the auxiliary provides a very convenient way for operating the boat at low speed, it nonetheless presents some difficulties to the operator as it is typically either inaccessible altogether or accessible for steerage only at great inconvenience. The invention of my aforesaid patent overcomes those problems by permitting the operator to steer the auxiliary from the normal position within the cockpit of a boat employed for steerage of the main propulsion unit for the craft.
Devices which permit an auxiliary engine to be controlled from a primary engine are well known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,756,186 to Nordling illustrates an attachment which permits an outboard motor to be steered from a stern drive unit. The connecting mechanism includes a pair of telescopic members, each of which is connected through a universal joint to the outboard motor or the stern drive unit. A locking mechanism in the form of a pin extending through openings in both telescopic members is utilized to lock the telescopic members in any desired position depending upon the distance between the stern drive unit and the outboard motor. U.S. Pat. No. 3,567,164 to Hakala shows a support means which permits two outboard motors to be pivotally mounted thereto, so that an auxiliary outboard motor may be conveniently moved to a selected vertical position in water. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,283,738 to Nelson, 2,968,192 to Fletcher, 2,899,833 to Prier, and 2,744,418 to Weber, all illustrate coupling or steering devices which permit a pair of outboard motors to be steered at the same time. U.S. Pat. No. 2,972,976 to Smith illustrates yet another device which permits a pair of stern drive units to be operated concurrently, or a single unit to be operated while the other is tilted or raised out of the water. Other patented approaches to achieve these aims are mentioned in my aforesaid U.S. patent, to which reference is made for further citations.
Notwithstanding the previous activity in this field, the need still exists to provide an improved type of steering mechanism for the auxiliary outboard and, particularly, one which accommodates not only twisting forces but longitudinal tensional or compressional forces as well.